Construction resumes at Brazil World Cup stadium, days after accident that killed two workers

Tue Dec 03 07:35:54 EST 2013

Photo

Tragic collapse ... workers look on at the damage after a crane fell across part of the Corinthians Stadium.

AFP Photo/Lancepress: Eduardo Viana

Construction work resumed on Monday at a Sao Paulo stadium that will host next year's World Cup opener, five days after an accident left two dead.

Two workers were killed last Thursday (AEDT) when a crane collapsed at the stadium, raising fresh doubts about Brazil's ability to finish work for the tournament on schedule.

Globo television showed a priest leading workers in prayer before they resumed work.

"It's good to get back to work but at the same time it is difficult because of the deaths of our colleagues. It is very sad," said one worker, 40-year-old Jose Viana da Silva.

"I've been working here for a year and four months, and I had never seen a serious accident."

Despite the resumption of construction, some 30 percent of outstanding works at the venue remain on hold owing to an investigation into the tragedy.

A crane collapsed onto a section of the stands as workers were using it to lift a final 380-tonnes metallic segment to the top of the roof.

Debris from the accident at the $444 million stadium will be cleared this week allowing main contractor Odebrecht to confirm the actual venue structure remains intact.

Sao Paulo, which had already been running some 45 days behind schedule, now faces a race against the clock to meet world football governing body FIFA's deadline for all 12 host stadiums to be completed by December 31.